Supermarkets are increasingly investing in the development of their own brand spirits. With competition between themselves and premium label brands, supermarkets have had to push for new, ground-breaking ways in which they can entice consumers to try their products.

From a focus on moving to an ‘own-brand’ approach over ‘own-label’ to introducing fantastic flavours and perfecting their packaging, we are seeing a strong uptick in the supermarket own-brand spirits market. No longer the cheap option focused on students, these spirits are becoming a firm favourite with the UK consumer.

Brand Development

It’s important to note that one of the main drivers of this trend is that retailers are not simply creating own labels, they’re building new brands. Whilst there might not seem much of a difference in wording between own-label and own-brand, this has been a vital area of focus in building this market area. ‘Own-label’ would showcase gins under the name of the supermarket chain in which is resides, such as ‘Sainsburys pink gin. Whereas ‘own-brand’ would not  name the supermarket at all. An entirely new brand is created to lie beneath the supermarket’s umbrella of products with its own unique name.

SKUs and ranges are being developed that directly compete with more established spirit brands on quality, flavour, and brand experience. All of this is only heightened by the exclusivity of these own-brand spirits only being available to buy at one specific supermarket chain.

Perfect Packaging

90% of purchasing decisions are made subconsciously and the first impressions of your product will always be created by your choice of packaging. And with 1/3 of consumers decision-making on purchasing being based on packaging, it’s no surprise that investment in this area is creating a boost in sales. We are seeing stunning glass packaging popping up in supermarkets across the UK.

Whilst bespoke packaging is always a fabulous way to boost your brand, supermarket own-brand bottles are typically beautifully decorated off-the-shelf bottles, like those from our catalogue collections. Colour coating is a great way to set a bottle apart from others on the shelves. Another brilliant asset is printing using our range of printing machines, we can create gorgeous shapes and patterns without having to invest in a bespoke bottle.

Tantalising Flavours

Finally, a big trend we have seen which has contributed to the huge growth in popularity of own-brand spirits is the exciting and experimental flavours on offer. With always adored, classic flavours like raspberry or fantastic new taste mixes like strawberry and rose, supermarket own-brands are hitting flavour notes that will appeal to even the most discerning of consumers.

The typically lower price points of own-brand alcohol make experimentation in flavours more accessible to consumers. People are less fearful of wasting an expensive bottle of their favourite tipple due to flavours not quite to their taste if they’re spending under £20. This tasty trend also plays into the new at home consumption market, with consumers needing few ingredients to create flavours which match up to their favourite cocktails.

Take the Next Step

At hy phoenix, our decoration abilities make us the perfect partner to help take supermarket spirits from own-label to own-brand. Our dedicated team of designers and extensive decoration facilities are on hand to enhance your glass packaging and breathe life and lustre into brands.

If you are looking to develop your own-brand to go above and beyond, get in touch with our team.